Boonsboro Election Entangled in Tie Vote, Recount Underway

Boonsboro, MD – The Town of Boonsboro is currently undertaking a meticulous review of its ballots following a close municipal election that resulted in a tie for a crucial council member seat. Election registrars are conducting a recount of the ballots cast in the election held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

An emergency meeting of the Mayor and Council was convened on the evening of Thursday, May 14, 2026, to address the unfolding situation. This meeting, open to the public and held at the Town Annex Meeting Chambers, 19 North Main Street, Boonsboro, MD, took place at 5:00 PM. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the complexities arising from the election, particularly the tie for the third Council Member position, which appears to be a tie between Ken Ebmeier and Dave Wade, who was a write-in candidate.

The circumstances leading to the recount began on election night, May 12, 2026. As election officials were finalizing the ballot count late into the evening, an exact tie was reported between two candidates vying for the third Council Member seat. Due to the late hour and the departure of one of the three election registrars, the decision was made to secure the ballots in the town safe overnight rather than immediately verifying the tied results. This delay in certification led to public speculation and numerous inquiries regarding the election’s integrity.

The emergency meeting on May 14th saw the council deliberate on the appropriate course of action. While some advocated for immediately certifying the tie and proceeding to a special run-off election, others proposed conducting a ballot verification or recount first. The Town Charter, specifically Section 515, grants the town council the authority to mandate a recount of ballots in instances of “doubt or fraud.” The council determined that the administrative “doubt” arising from the registrar’s early departure constituted sufficient grounds for a verification. Consequently, a motion was passed to proceed with a formal recount of the ballots the following day for the final council seat, utilizing the remaining registrars along with a substitute to ensure a three-person board for the verification.

A written proposal from a candidate who was unable to attend the emergency meeting suggested a complete reelection due to perceived public doubt. However, the Mayor and Council rejected this proposition. The Town Charter does not provide for the cancellation of a general election based solely on public uncertainty or procedural delays.

The next steps for Boonsboro’s municipal election hinge on the outcome of the ongoing recount, scheduled to occur tomorrow. If the verification confirms the tie between Ebmeier and Wade, the Town Charter mandates a special run-off election. According to Section 518 of the Charter, the Board of Supervisors of Elections is responsible for calling this special election. It must occur no sooner than 14 days and no later than 60 days following the original May 12th election date. During this run-off, only the names of the tied candidates will appear on the ballot, without party designations, and write-in candidates will not be permitted. The incumbent official will continue to hold the seat until the new official is elected. The terms for Mayor Howard Long and Council Members Marilee Kerns and Ray Hanson are scheduled to conclude in May 2028

Associated documents for this story are available in our Public Information Archive.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon information from the Town of Boonsboro

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